Do you have handwritten notes in your genealogy files that were copied from a book by another researcher? Today’s WELLS family Friday Find is just such a treasure. It’s a transcription of WHITE family information taken from the book Memorials of Elder John White. These notes trace the WHITE lineage from Elder John White of England and Massachusetts down through several generations to Abagail White, who married Green Wells.
White Family
1 — Elder John White was born between 1595 & 1605. His home was supposed to have been in Chelmsford, Essex Co., England.
He arrived in Boston with wife & two children, Sept. 16, 1632, on the Ship Lyon, Capt. Pierce, after a passage of eight weeks.
In company with him came Rev. Thomas Hooker, & Elder John White was identified with his church in Cambridge.
2 — Capt. Nathaniel White, 1st son of Elder John White, b. in Eng. 1629. d. in Middletown Ct. Aug. 27, 1711. m. Elizabeth ——
He was elected to represent the town of Middletown Ct. 85 times; served steadily from 1659 to 1710 (Legislature formerly met semi-annually).
In military life he rose to the rank of Capt., which title he held to the time of his death.
3 — Dea. Nathaniel White, son of Capt. N. & E. White, b. in Middletown Ct. July 7, 1652. d. Feb. 15, 1742. m. Elizabeth Savage b. June 3, 1655 d. June 30, 1742.
He was one of the founders of Hadley, Mass., & Selectman for fifty years.
4 — John White, third child of Dea. N. & E. White, b. in Hadley, Mass. Nov. 28, 1682. d. about 1766. m. Jan. 6, 1715, Martha Church, b. Sept. 23, 1682. date of death unknown.
5 — Oliver White, fourth child of J. & M. White, b. in Hadley, Mass. June 28, 1724. d. 1784. m. Abagail Seldon, Jan. 18, 1755.
Children of Oliver & Abagail White:
Oliver, b. Dec. 19, 1755
Elizabeth, b. Nov. 29, 1757, m. Phineas Clark
Moses, b. Dec. 3, 1759, m. Chloe Peck
Jerusha, b. Mar. 5, 1762, m. Seth Kellogg
Eunice, b. Mar 18, 1764, m. George Wells
Elihu, b. Mar 8, 1766, d. Mar. 27, 1766
Esther, b. Apr. 2, 1768, m. William Ingham
Abagail, b. Sept. 24, 1770, m. Green Welles
6 — Abagail White, eighth child of O. & A. White, b. Sept. 24, 1770. d. July 30, 1852. m. Feb. 11, 1789 Green Welles of Mapletown, b. Sept. 24, 1764. d. Dec. 15, 1845.
They removed to Vermont, N.Y. about 1800.
copied from “Memorials of Elder John White”
These handwritten notes are a reminder of how valuable earlier researchers’ work can be when paired with our own efforts. While we always need to verify the details, transcriptions like this provide a bridge between published sources and our modern family history research. By preserving and sharing these materials, we not only honor the work of those who came before us but also keep the connections alive across generations.
